5/22/12 10:57 AM EDT

Responding to GOP demands to immediately extend Bush-era tax cuts, Reid released a sharply worded letter Tuesday saying the right wing's refusal to entertain new taxes would prevent any deal before November. Republican senators have abandoned deal-making for "fear of retribution from tea party extremists," Reid wrote in the missive to Senate Republicans.

Reid said the GOP must accept higher taxes on those earning more than $1 million and corporations, and drop its leading Medicare overhaul proposal, in order to reach a consensus with his party.

"Unfortunately, it appears that Republicans’ blind adherence to Tea Party extremism is making it impossible to reach this sort of balanced agreement before the election,” he wrote.

The grim prognosis comes as the laundry list of items Congress must deal with in a post-election, lame-duck session are stacking up: An extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts and expiring business and payroll tax breaks.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who organized a letter with 40 of his colleagues last week calling for the immediate extension of the Bush-era tax rates, shot back on Tuesday, saying a $310 billion tax hike would hit Jan. 1 if Congress doesn't act.

“Once again, Senate Democrats have missed the mark – choosing to play politics rather than work with Republicans to prevent the largest tax increase in history that will impact every single American," said Antonia Ferrier, spokeswoman for Hatch. "This is serious stuff and it’s time the majority get with the program and start working to solve this problem now.”